Atem
by Dennis Fielder
Summary: When the Lord of the Underworld takes the son of Aknamkanon and turns him mortal, the only way young Atem can reclaim his status is to prove himself a true hero. Featuring guest narrators, about every girl from Yu-Gi-Oh! except Mana.
1. The Gospel Truth About Aknamkanon

Hello. Here's the winner of my latest poll, with a whopping eleven votes.

Disclaimer: Hercules belongs to Disney, and Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to 4Kids, Toei Animation, and Funimation. I'm just a fan who likes Disney-Yu-Gi-Oh! mash-ups.

* * *

**Atem**

Chapter 1: The Gospel Truth About Aknamkanon

Me: Well before we get into the story, let me describe a few things. You see, a long time ago in the far away land of Ancient Greece, there was a golden age of powerful gods and extraordinary heroes, but the bravest and strongest of all these heroes was the mighty Atem. Now some of you may wonder what the measurement of a true hero is. Well that's what our story is-

Rebecca: Will you listen to him? He's making this story sound like some Greek Tragedy mixed with Star Wars!

Me: What the-?

Tea: Lighten up, dude.

Me: But- And- How-?

Ishizu: Don't worry dear. We'll take it from here.

Me: Uh… Okay. You go girls.

Ishizu: Hello readers. We are the muses. Goddesses of the arts and proclaimers of heroes.

Tea (fanning herself with her hand): Heroes like Atem.

Rebecca: Buddy, you mean Hot-Tem! Oh, I'd like to make some sweet music with-

Ishizu (sharply): _Our story _actually begins long before Atem. Many eons ago…

* * *

_Back when the world was new,_

_The planet Earth was way down on its luck._

_And everywhere gigantic brutes called Sacred Beasts ran amuck!_

The Sacred Beasts ravaged the landscape of Greece as people prayed to the gods for help.

_It was a nasty place._

_There was a mess wherever you stepped._

_Where chaos reigned and Earthquakes and volcanoes never slept! (_Rebecca: Whoo! Sing it Ishizu!)

Suddenly, the crowds parted, and a figure in a long red robe with a white undershirt appeared with light brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard and moustache.

_And then along came Aknamkanon!_

_He called the Egyptian Gods! (They zapped!)_

_Locked those monsters in a vault! (They're trapped!)_

_And on his own stopped chaos in its tracks!_

_And that's the gospel truth!_

_The guy was too type A to just relax!_

_And as the world's first dish, _(Rebecca: Yeah Tea!)

_Since then the globe was still in its youth,_

_Though, honey, it may seem impossible,_

_That's the gospel truth!_

_On Mount Olympus, life was neat_

_And smooth and sweet vermouth!_

_Though, honey, it may seem impossible,_

_That's the gospel truth…_

Long after Aknamkanon used the Egyptian Gods to defeat and contain the Sacred Beasts, Aknamkanon, king of the gods, and his wife Linknem, and a small baby boy with hair that was black with magenta tips and blond bangs. They named him Atem.

* * *

Well that was short, sweet, and to the point. A new poll's up.


	2. The Gospel Truth About Malik

Chapter Two: The Gospel Truth About Malik

On top of Mount Olympus, Linknem was cooing at her new little baby.

"Atem!" Linknem cooed with a smile as Atem took her head dress off of her head before she gently took it back and put Atem in a bassinet that appeared out of the clouds. "Behave yourself."

"Look at this." Aknamkanon said with a smile as he looked down at his son. "Look how cute he is. Hey little fella."

Aknamkanon held out his hand, and Atem grabbed his index finger and lifted him up by it.

"Oh, and he's strong like his dad." Aknamkanon said with a smile.

Then, the messenger of the gods, Ryou rushed by.

"Excuse me." Ryou said quickly. "Coming through. One side, Shada."

Ryou then walked up with a bouquet of flowers.

"Why Ryou, they're lovely." Linknem said with a kind smile.

"Yeah, you know I had Orpheus do the arrangement. Isn't that too nutty?" Ryou said with a smile before turning to Aknamkanon. "Excellent party sir. I haven't seen this much love and affection in a room since Duke Devlin discovered himself."

Meanwhile, Atem saw Slifer approach and began petting his scaly head.

"Dear!" Linknem said in alarm. "Keep Slifer away from the baby!"

"Oh, he won't hurt himself." Aknamkanon said with a smile. "Let the kid have a little fun."

Slifer licked Atem affectionately, which shocked poor little Atem, quite literally, and he tossed him aside, where he was safely stopped from ruining the party by Isis.

"Well on behalf of my son," Aknamkanon said with a smile as Linknem picked Atem up. "I want to thank you all for your wonderful gifts!"

And what gifts they were. Isis, goddess of wisdom, gave Atem a tome of every book that was ever written or would be written. Seto, god of the sun, gave Atem a lamp which sprouted out a rainbow. Shada, god of war, gave Atem a long sword. Karim, the god of sleep, gave Atem a cloak of perfect dreams. Aknadin, the god of the sea, gave Atem a perfectly working globe of the Earth that had the water working as it did in the real world.

"What about our gift, dear?" Linknem asked.

"Oh that's right." Aknamkanon said with a mock look of surprise. "Let me see…"

Aknamkanon took some clouds and made a little boy of about Atem's age dressed in an odd outfit.

"There we go." Aknamkanon said as he showed Atem the cloud. When Atem touched it, the clouds parted, and a real little boy with blue eyes, purple hair, and fair skin was in it, dressed in an odd purple outfit. "His name is Mahad, and he's all yours son."

Mahad ended up floating to Atem as they looked at each other when Atem smiled and bumped his head against Mahad's. Mahad then smiled and hugged Atem affectionately as he hugged him back.

"Aw." Everyone in the room said.

Linknem then handed Atem to Aknamkanon.

"Mind his head." Linknem said as Aknamkanon took Atem.

"He's so tiny." Aknamkanon said with a small smile as Atem gnawed on a golden upside down pyramid he had around his neck before he yawned and went to sleep. "My boy. My little Atem."

Aknamkanon then set Atem in his bed.

"How sentimental." A voice said, and everyone turned to see Malik, dressed in a dark muscle shirt and corduroys. His hair stuck out like a bleach blond fire, which it was. "You know guys, I haven't been this choked up since I got a chunk of musaka caught in my throat."

Malik waited for laughs, which he didn't get.

"Is this an audience or a mosaic?" Malik asked as he walked in. "Hey how are you doing?" Malik then eyed Mai, goddess of love, with a smirk. "Looking good, nice dress."

"So Malik, you finally made it." Aknamkanon said with a smile as he hugged his youngest brother. "How are things in the Underworld?"

"Well they're just fine." Malik said calmly. "You know, a little dark and gloomy and as always, full of dead people. What are you gonna do?"

Malik then walked up to the bassinet as Atem woke up.

"Ah, there's the little sunspot." Malik said with a smirk. "The little kiddo. And here's a sucker for the little sucker."

Malik pulled out a long white bone thing and tried to stick it in Atem's mouth when Atem grabbed his finger and squeezed as he giggled.

"Ah!" Malik groaned as he pulled his finger free, and Mahad giggled. "Powerful little tyke."

"Come on Malik, don't be such a stiff." Aknamkanon said with a smile. "Join the celebration."

"Well I'd love to, bro, but unlike you guys lounging about up here, I regrettably, have a full-time gig that you so charitably bestowed on me, Aknamkanon, so I can't. I'd love to, but I can't."

"You out to slow down." Aknamkanon said. "You'll work yourself to death… Ha! Work yourself to death!"

Everyone laughed as Aknamkanon fell into a chair that appeared from the clouds.

"Oh, I kill myself." Aknamkanon muttered with a smile.

"If only." Malik sneered under his breath. "If only."

* * *

Ishizu: If there's one god you don't want to get steamed up, it's Malik.

Me: Why?

Tea: Because he had an evil plan.

* * *

_He ran the Underworld,_

_But thought the dead were dull and uncouth._

_He was as mean as he was ruthless, and that's the gospel truth._

_He had a plan to shake things up, and that's the gospel truth!_

Malik returned to the Underworld and tossed a steak to his two headed dog, Cerberus. He had a party of his own to attend.

* * *

Uh-oh. Atem's in trouble.


	3. The Gospel Truth About Atem

Chapter Three: The Gospel Truth About Atem

Malik arrived at his stronghold.

"Rex!" Malik called out, and a small man with long brown hair with a purple stripe in it ran down.

"Coming your most lugubriousness." Rex called out as he tripped and fell down the stairs, landing on a fork decoration rear first. "Ah!"

"Weevil!" Malik continued as a man as tall as Rex arrived with a bowler haircut.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir!" Weevil said as he rushed down. "I can handle it!"

As Rex got himself down, Weevil ran into him, and they both landed on the ground.

"Rex!" Rex said weakly. "Oh…"

"And Weevil." Weevil said quickly.

"Reporting for duty!" They both said.

"Fine, fine, fine." Malik said calmly. "Just let me know the instant the Fates arrive."

"Oh, they're already here." Weevil said casually.

"WHAT?" Malik raged as his hair turned red and spread down his face. "THE FATES ARE HERE, AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?"

Rex and Weevil bowed down as they turned into worms.

"We are worms!" They both called out. "Worthless worms!"

"Memo to me." Malik said as he calmed down. "Memo to me, maim you after my meeting."

()()()()()

In Malik's personal room, the Fates, Carly, Misty, and Yubel were there.

"Misty." Carly said as she pulled out a pair of scissors. "Hold that mortal's thread of life good and tight."

Misty held the thread tight as Carly cut it. There was a long scream.

"Incoming!" Yubel called out.

The soul of a woman floated down as the toll count over the entrance to death went from 5,000,000,000 to 5,000,000,001.

"Ladies." Malik said as he walked in, followed by Rex and Weevil. "I am so sorry that I'm-"

"Late." The fates finished for him.

"We knew you would be." Misty said smugly.

"We know everything!" Yubel called out.

"Past." Misty began.

"Present." Yubel continued.

"And future!" Carly finished before turning to Rex and Weevil and whispering, "Indoor plumbing. It's gonna be big."

"Great." Said Malik casually. "See ladies, I was at this party, and I lost track of time-"

"We know." The Fates said.

"I know you know." Malik said crisply as he walked to a giant game board, and in the middle was a smaller version of Mt. Olympus with Aknamkanon on top of it. "So here's the deal. Aknamkanon. Mr. "High and Mighty". Mr. "Hey you get off of my cloud". Now he has a-"

"Bouncing baby brat." The Fates finished for him again.

"We know." Yubel said again.

"I KNOW YOU KNOW!" Malik snapped as his hair expanded again before he recomposed himself for fear of offending the three people he needed the most at the moment. "I know. I got it. I get the concept. So let me just ask is this kid going to mess up my hostile takeover bid or what?"

"Well-" Yubel began before Misty covered her mouth.

"Oh no you don't!" Misty called out. "We're not supposed to reveal the future!"

"Wait, I'm sorry, time out." Malik said as an idea crept into his mind, and he approached Yubel. "Can I ask you a question? Did you cut your hair or something? You look fabulous. You know, you look like a fate worse than death."

Yubel giggled like a school girl.

"Now come on ladies, my fate is in your lovely hands." Malik said with a sneer.

"Oh…" Yubel said with a smile.

"Oh alright." Misty conceded as a ball of white light appeared and showed an extreme long shot of the planets of the solar system lining up.

"In eighteen years, precisely, the planets will align ever so nicely." Yubel said.

"Oi." Malik groaned. "Verse."

"The time to act will be at hand! Unleash the Sacred Beasts as your band!" Misty called out.

"Mm-hmm." Malik muttered. "Good. Good."

"Then the once proud king will finally fall, and you, Malik, will rule all!"

"Yes!" Malik called out triumphantly. "Malik rules!"

"A word of caution to this tale." Carly interjected.

"Excuse me?" Malik asked.

"Should Prince Atem fight, you will fail." Carly finished before all three cackled and disappeared leaving Malik alone.

"WHAT?" Malik roared as a venerable volcano of pure fire leapt from his head and singed the ceiling before he regained his composure. "Okay, fine. Fine. I'm cool. I'm fine."

There was a way around the sun spot flaw of an otherwise perfect plan.

()()()()()

"Rex, Weevil?" Malik asked as he walked to an area that held several potions he'd pried from learned wizards who'd passed away. "I've got a little riddle for you. How do you kill a god?"

"I do not know." Rex said as he blinked.

"You can't!" Weevil said quickly, leaping at a chance to impress his master. "They're immortal."

"Bingo!" Malik called out. "They're immortal."

Malik then pulled out a file holding a violet liquid with a skull shaped stopper out of a case.

"So first you've got to make the little sun spot… Mortal."

()()()()()

As Seto pulled the sun down for the night, the people of Olympus were sleeping soundly, even Aknamkanon and Linknem in their bed. Suddenly, they heard a crash of something breaking and a small shout of pain.

"Oh, what is it?" Linknem asked as she woke up with Aknamkanon before a horrible thought struck both of their minds.

"The baby!" They both said and rushed into the nursery to find an over-turned cradle, and Mahad struggling to get out of a horn of plenty Bes of Egypt had given to Atem as a present.

"ATEM!" Linknem cried as she broke down and sobbed over her son's kidnapping.

The idea of someone kidnapping his son and taking him who knew where made Aknamkanon's anger grow by the second.

"NOOOOOOO!" Aknamkanon called out as lightning flashed all over the sky.

()()()()()

"Now we did it!" Weevil groaned as they flew down to Earth with Atem. "Aknamkanon's gonna use us for target practice!"

"Just hold onto the kid, Weevil!" Rex shouted before they landed hard on the ground, and Atem began to cry.

"Let's just kill the kid and get it over with, okay?" Weevil asked.

"Here you go, kid." Rex said as he put a rubber nipple on the phial of the potion and stuck it in Atem's mouth. "A little formula from Uncle Malik."

Atem began to suck down the potion, and the glow that normally accompanied gods began to fade.

"Look at that!" Weevil called out. "He's changing! Can we do it now?"

"No, no!" Rex said. "He has to drink the whole potion. Every last drop."

"Who's there?" A voice called out, scaring the two men into hiding, and dropping the bottle, which broke, leaving only one drop that fell to the ground and evaporated away into nothingness.

()()()()()

"Is anybody there?" Solomon asked as he walked out, with his black hair and blond bangs. All he saw was a little new-born baby with hair like his, but with magenta tips, crying. "Ashita, over here!"

"Oh, you poor thing." Solomon's wife Ashita said. "Oh, don't cry."

"Is anybody there?" Solomon called out before looking down at the baby.

()()()()()

"Now?" Weevil asked.

"Now." Rex said with a smirk as the two turned themselves into serpents.

()()()()()

"Boy must have been abandoned." Solomon said.

"Solomon," Ashita said. "For so many years, we've prayed to the gods to bless us with a child. Perhaps they've answered our prayers."

"Perhaps they have." Solomon said as he took a look at the name on the upside down pyramid pendant the baby wore. "'Atem'?"

Suddenly, two snakes appeared and were about to strike the baby when Atem grabbed both of them with a big smile on his face and began banging them on the ground. He then tied them up and flung them away as he giggled and waved good-bye to them before looking back at the farming couple.

"Whoa… Nellie." Solomon said as he blinked.

()()()()()

Rex and Weevil landed on the other side of the Earth as they turned back to normal and groaned.

"Oh man!" Weevil groaned. "Malik is gonna kill us when he finds out!"

"You mean, '_If_ he finds out.'" Rex said with a smirk.

"Of course he's gonna-" Weevil said before he realized what Rex was saying. "If. If is good."

* * *

Me: Well… What happened next?

Ishizu: It was tragic. Aknamkanon led all the gods on a frantic search.

Tea: But by the time they'd found the baby, it was too late.

* * *

_Atem was mortal now…_

_But since he did not drink the last drop,_

_He still retained his god-like strength._

_So thank his lucky stars! _(Tea: Tell it Serenity.)

_But Aknamkanon and Linknem wept._

_Oh because you see their son could never come home._

_They'd have to watch their precious baby grow up from afar!_

_Though Malik's horrid plan_

_Was hatched before 'Tem cut his first tooth,_

_The boy grew stronger every day,_

_And that's the gospel truth… (The gospel truth…)

* * *

_

Oh, I think I'm gonna cry! Someone hold me!


	4. I Can Go the Distance

Chapter Four: I Can Go the Distance

Fifteen years after Atem was found by Solomon and Ashita, he grew into an extremely strong young man; his only problem was that he had trouble controlling it. When he was helping his dad take a load of hay to the market he literally ran there, carrying the wagon, with the load his father, and their injured donkey in it.

"Atem, slow down!" Solomon said nervously as he held on to his fedora. Atem arrived at the entrance way where several men were busy with remodeling. "Look out!"

Too late. Atem rushed past and accidentally caused the two men to lose their balance, though they managed to hold on.

"Oops." Atem said nervously. "Sorry guys."

"Watch where you're going!" One of the men shouted out.

After arriving at the middle of the market place, Atem skidded to a stop, sinking up to his chest in the ground before climbing out.

"Thanks Son." Solomon said after catching his breath. "When old Penelope twisted her ankle back there, I thought we were done for."

"No problem Dad." Atem said as he lifted up the load of hay.

"Don't unload just yet." Solomon said. "First I have to haggle with Arthur."

"Okay." Atem said as he tossed the hay back on with a simple flick of the wrist that shot Penelope into the air. "Oops. Um, sorry Penelope."

"Now this time, Atem, please just-" Solomon began, but Atem finished for him.

"I know." Atem said. "I know." He caught Penelope as she arrived. "Stay by the cart."

"That's my boy." Solomon said with a smile as he ruffled Atem's hair and walked off.

Atem then rested by the cart when he heard someone groaning and turned to see one of the shop owners struggling with an extremely large vase. Never missing a chance to help, Atem hurried over and grabbed the vase before it was about to crash into the ground.

"I've got it." Atem said.

"Oh thank you." The owner said with a sigh of relief.

"No problem." Atem said as he turned his head to talk directly to the owner.

"Atem." The man said with a gulp. "It's you."

"Let me help you with that." Atem said, but the man just turned away with the vase.

"No, no, no." The owner said quickly. "I've got it now. I'm fine. You just run along."

"You sure?" Atem asked.

"Oh yes, absolutely." The owner groaned.

Atem then made his way back to the cart as a discus suddenly landed by his feet. He then picked it up as one of the local boys, Tristan, arrived.

"Yo, give it here!" He shouted before getting a good look at Atem.

"Hey, you need an extra guy?" Atem asked hopefully. They'd never let him play before, usually because he ended up breaking something.

"Uh… Sorry 'Tem." Tristan said nervously. "We've already got five, and we wanna keep it an even number."

"Wait, five's not an even-" Atem began before Tristan suddenly took the discus and rushed off.

"What a geek." Tristan said in what he assumed was out of ear shot, but Atem had strong hearing as well as simply being strong. "Maybe we should call him Crack-Tem."

Atem then walked to the well and sat down sadly. His only friends in the whole wide world were his mom and dad, and that was just sad for a fifteen-year-old boy.

"Heads up!" Tristan shouted as the discus came his way. "This was Atem's chance. If he grabbed that disc without breaking something, he might make some new friends."

"I've got it!" Atem said as he jumped, and he got it, but he also knocked into a pillar, which caused it to come loose. "Uh-oh."

Atem then grabbed it, but it swung around while he was holding it and hit another pillar, causing it to fall over.

"Oh no." Atem groaned as he tossed the pillar he was holding aside to stop the domino effect, accidentally causing the pillars to domino from the other side as well.

"Oh come on!" Atem called out as he now rushed the other way.

"Son!" Solomon called out as everyone rushed away.

"Hang on, Dad!" Atem called out. "I'll be right back!"

While Atem was a good runner, he couldn't out run the pillars, and eventually, they ended up approaching the vase shop owner's area, but they stopped in a triangle shape just before they could smash anything. Unfortunately, Atem wasn't able to stop himself in time and smashed into the owner, which also caused the pillars to fall down due to the sudden vibrations from the crash.

Shortly after this, Atem staggered out, still holding the discus as Tristan walked up.

"Nice catch, _Crack-Tem._" Tristan said as he grabbed the discus and walked off.

"Son…" Solomon said not angrily, but in simple shock over what happened.

"This is the last straw Solomon!" The owner shouted as he walked angrily out.

"That boy is a menace!" A woman said.

"He's too dangerous to be around _normal_ people!" Another man said angrily.

"He didn't mean any harm." Solomon defended calmly. "He's just a kid. He just can't control his strength."

"I'm warning you." The owner said angrily. "You keep that, that freak away from here!"

Atem was hurt by what he had done. He'd messed up before but never as badly as this. He'd really stepped in the sheep manure this time.

()()()()()

At a cliffside near the farm, Solomon sat next to Atem.

"Son," Solomon said. "You shouldn't let the things they said back there get to you."

"But Dad, they're right!" Atem said. "I am a freak! I try to fit it! I really do! … I just can't." Atem then relaxed as he looked at the setting sun. "Sometimes I feel like I really don't belong here. Like I'm supposed to be someplace else."

"Atem, son-" Solomon began, but Atem just continued on.

"I know it doesn't make any sense."

Atem arrived at the cliffside and skipped a stone, that made it to the other shore.

_I have often dreamed of a far off place_

_Where a great warm welcome will be waiting for me._

_And the crowds will cheer when they see my face,_

_And a voice keeps saying, this is where I'm meant to be._

That night, Atem climbed a tree and looked up at the stars, one of them was quickly shooting past.

_I will find my way._

_I can go the distance._

_I'll be there someday, If I can be strong._

_I know every mile will be worth my while._

_I would go most anywhere to feel like I… Belong . . ._

Back at home, Solomon and Ashita were waiting for Atem.

"Atem." Solomon said with a gulp. "There's something your mother and I have been meaning… Meaning to tell you."

They then explained how they had found them, and how he'd saved them from two snakes.

"But if you found me, then where did I come from?" Atem asked. "Why was I left with you?"

"This was around your neck when we found you." Ashita explained as she handed Atem a pendant shaped like an upside down pyramid with an eye in the center. "The eye's the symbol of the gods."

"This is it!" Atem said excitedly. "Don't you see, maybe they have the answer! I'll go to the Temple of Aknamkanon and-"

Atem then stopped and turned to his parents.

"Mom, Dad, you're the greatest parents anyone could have, but I've just got to know." Atem said.

The next day, Ashita gave Atem a blue jacket to wear against the weather, and, the pendant hung around his neck, he walked towards his fate after giving both of his parents a large hug.

_I am on my way!_

_I can go the distance!_

_I don't care how far! Somehow I'll be strong!_

_I know every mile will be worth my while._

_I would go most anywhere to find where I belong…!_

Atem arrived at Aknamkanon's temple and knelt down in front of the enormous statue of Aknamkanon.

"Oh mighty Aknamkanon, please, hear me and answer my prayer." Atem said. "I need to know, who am I? Where to I belong?"

There was a flash of lightning, and the statue's eyes shot open and smiled down at Atem.

"My boy." The statue said. "My little Atem."

"AHHHHHHH!" Atem screamed in horror and rushed off before the statue's hand grabbed him quickly and pulled him up.

"Hold on kiddo, what's your hurry?" Aknamkanon asked. "After all these years, is this the kind of hello you give your father?"

"Father?" Atem squeaked.

"Didn't know you had a famous father, did you?" Aknamkanon asked. "Surprise. Look how you've grown. Why you've got your mother's beautiful eyes and my strong chin."

"I don't understand." Atem said. "If you're my father, then that would make me a-"

"A god." Aknamkanon said.

"A god…" Atem said in awe. "A god?"

"Hey, you wanted an answer, and by thunder you're old enough now to tell the truth." Aknamkanon explained.

"But why did you leave me on Earth?" Atem asked. "Didn't you want me?"

"Of course we did." Aknamkanon assured Atem. "Your mother and I loved you with all our hearts, but someone stole you from us and turned you mortal, and only gods can live on Mt. Olympus."

"There's nothing you can do?" Atem asked sadly.

"I can't Atem, but you can." Aknamkanon said with a smile.

"Really?" Atem asked excitedly. "What? I'll do anything!"

"Atem, if you can prove yourself a true hero on Earth, your godhood will be restored!"

"A true hero!" Atem said with a smile. "Great! … Exactly, how do you become a true hero?"

"First, you must seek out Joseph Wheeler, the trainer of heroes." Aknamkanon explained.

"Seek out Joseph Wheeler." Atem said. "Got it." Atem was about to walk off when Aknamkanon grabbed him with his other hand.

"Whoa, hold your horses." Aknamkanon said. "There's someone who'll make this trip easier."

From the sky a man with bluish purple hair arrived in purple armor.

"You probably don't remember Mahad, but you two go way back, son." Aknamkanon said as Mahad smiled and bumped his head against Atem's, which stirred up an old memory of two baby boys doing the same thing, and he smiled.

"Oh, Mahad." Atem said with a smile as the two old friends hugged.

"He's a magnificent magician with the brains of a hard-working man." Aknamkanon said with a smile.

"Thank you sir." Mahad said back.

"I'll find Joseph Wheeler and become a true hero!" Atem called out as he got onto Mahad's back and he flew up and landed on Aknamkanon's finger.

"That's the spirit!" Aknamkanon said with a smile.

"I won't let you down, Father!" Atem said as Aknamkanon blew and gave them a good strong wind to begin their journey.

"Good luck son." Aknamkanon said as he returned to not being made of stone.

_I will beat the odds!_

_I can go the distance!_

_I will face the world!_

_Fearless, proud, and strong!_

_I will please the gods!_

_I can go the distance!_

_Till I find my hero's welcome right… Where… I… Be… Long . . .!_

Atem and Mahad flew through the sky, unaware that the planets looked unnervingly close to perfectly lining up.

* * *

Go Atem, go!


	5. One Last Hope

Chapter Five: One Last Hope

Mahad took Atem to the ruins of an old island, right at the literal feet of a ruined statue. They then looked at the statue's head, which was a warrior with a beard.

"You sure this is the right place?" Atem asked.

"I'm pretty sure." Mahad said.

Atem then heard laughing through a bush and looked to see several women that seemed to have flowers as actual parts of their hair laughing and having and talking. He then heard a goat's bray and looked down to see a goat apparently stuck in the bush.

"What's the matter, little guy?" Atem asked. "You stuck?"

Atem pulled the legs, to find a man about his height with blond hair, but from the waist down, he was a goat.

"Hey, bug off, buddy!" The man-goat thing shouted.

"AH!" Atem screamed and backed away.

The noise alerted the wood-women, and they rushed away as the man-goat rushed on.

"Girls, wait!" The man called out. "Come on, come back!"

The minute he got near one; she turned into flowers, or a tree.

"Ah, nymphs!" The man groaned before smirking. "They just can't keep their hands off me."

The tree then smashed Joey back to where Atem was standing.

Atem just starred.

"What's da matter?" The goat man asked. "Aint ya never seen a satyr before?"

"Uh… No." Atem said simply. "Can you help us? We're looking for someone named Joseph Wheeler?"

"Call me Joey." Joey said as he picked up a bowl of fruit tossed the fruit out and ate the bowl.

"Joey!" Atem said excitedly as he shook Joey's hand.

"DAH!" Joey called out.

"Boy am I glad to meet you." Atem said as he felt the smile spread across his face. "I'm Atem, and this is Mahad."

Joey wrenched his hand free, with it being very red.

"Nice ta meet ya." Joey said moodily.

"Animals." Joey groaned. "Disgusting."

"I need your help." Atem said plainly. "I wanna become a hero. A true hero."

"Sorry kid. Can't help ya." Joey said as he walked to the statue head, which had a door in the neck, and closed it.

"But wait!" Atem said as he grabbed the door and accidentally pulled it out. "Sorry. Anyway, why not?"

"Two words!" Joey called out as he grabbed the door, and put it back where it was. "I am retired!"

"That's three words." Atem said before reminding himself why he was there. "Look, I've got to do this! Haven't you ever had a dream? Something you've wanted so bad, you'd do anything?"

"Kid." Joey said with a sigh. "Come inside. I wanna show ya something."

Atem went inside, but Mahad stayed outside as he figured the house was too small for him, as he was used to more open spaces.

()()()()()

Atem walked inside and bumped his head on a log.

"Watch it!" Joey called out. "That was part of da mast for the Argo!"

"_The_ Argo?" Atem asked in awe as he thought of the quest for the Golden Fleece.

"Well who do ya think taught Jason how ta sail?" Joey asked. "Cleopatra? I trained all those would-be-heroes. Odysseus, Perseus, Theseus! A lotta yutzes! Every single one of those bums let me down flatter than a discus! None of 'em could go da distance! Then, there was Achilles! Now there was a guy who had it all! The build! The foot speed! He could jab! He could take a hit! He could keep 'em coming, but that freaking heel of his! He barely got nicked there once, and ka-boom! He was history."

He then sighed and pulled out a parchment.

"Yeah, I had a dream once." Joey said. "I dreamed I'd train da greatest hero there ever was. So great that da gods would hang a picture of him in the sky, and people would say, that's Joey's boy. That's right."

Joey's face then grew dark, and he tossed the parchment, which had several holes in it to make it look like a muscular figure, aside.

"Ah, but dreams are for rookies!" Joey called out. "A guy can only take so much disappointment."

"But I'm different from those other guys, Joey!" Atem urged. "I can go the distance! Come on, I'll show you!"

Atem rushed off to the yard where a large arm and shield were, and Atem tossed it very, very far away like it was a discus.

"Holy Linknem." Joey said in awe. "Ya know, maybe if… Ah, what am I thinking? I'm 105! I'm too old to get mixed up in those teenage dream stuff again!"

"But if I don't become a true hero, I'll never be able to rejoin my father, Aknamkanon." Atem pleaded.

"Hold it." Joey said with a smirk. "Aknamkanon's your father, right? Aknamkanon, da big guy. He's your daddy?"

Joey fell over laughing as Atem and Mahad just watched.

"'Read me a book, would ya, Dad?'" Joey said in a mocking tone as he laughed. "'Once upon a time…' Oh, that's rich!"

"It's the truth!" Atem insisted.

"Please!" Joey countered.

_So ya wanna be a hero kid,_

_Well whoop-de-doo!_

_I have been around the block before_

_With block-heads just like you._

_Each and every one a disappointment._

_Pain for which there aint to ointment!_

_So much for excuses,_

_Don't give a Zeus'_

_Asking me ta jump into da fray?_

_My answer is two words!_

Joey was suddenly struck by lightning.

"Okay." Joey said weakly.

"You mean you'll do it?" Atem asked excitedly.

"You win." Joey groaned.

"You won't be sorry Joey!" Atem went on.

"Oh gods!" Joey groaned as he rubbed his neck.

"So when can we start?" Atem asked. "Can we start now?"

"Oh boy." Joey groaned.

As soon as he could, he, Atem, and Mahad cleaned up the island to remake the training area.

_I'd given up hope that someone would come along._

_The fella who'd ring da bell for once, not da gong._

_Da kind that win trophies, won't settle for lowfies._

_At least Seratrofes, but no…_

_I get da green horn._

_I'd been out to pastor pal. My ambition gone._

_Content to spend lazy days just to graze my lawn._

_But you need an adviser._

_A sative adviser._

Joey then tried to teach Atem how to shoot an bow and arrow but got smashed into the target himself.

_A good merchandiser, and whoa!_

_There goes my ulcer._

_I'm down to one last hope!_

_And I hope it's you._

Joey measured Atem's muscles and had him do push-ups to help them grow larger.

_Though kid, you're not exactly a dream come true,_

_I've trained enough turkeys who never came true._

_You're my one last hope, so you'll have ta do._

One day, Joey had a girl doll strapped to a stake as a fire burned around her.

"Rule Number Six: When rescuing a damsel, always handle with care!" Joey called out as Atem rushed to save the damsel and accidentally tripped on a log and fell into the water with it. "No!"

Another day, Atem was practicing knife throwing.

"Rule Number Ninety-Five, kid: Concentrate!" Joey called out as Atem took a bunch of knifes and tossed them towards the targets, and they all just barely missed impaling Joey.

"Rule Number Ninety-Six: _Aim_!"

_Demigods have faced the odds,_

_And ended up a mockery._

_Don't believe da stories that_

_You read on all the crockery._

Atem tried again a few days later, saving one knife, and none of them made contact with the wooden cut-outs.

_Ta be a true hero kid is a dying art._

_Like painting a masterpiece._

Atem sighed and casually flung the last knife and it hit one cut out in the painted on heart.

_It's a work a heart!_

_It takes more than sinew!_

_Comes down to what's in you._

_You have ta continue to grow!_

"Now that's more like it!" Joey called out one day when Atem was seventeen, extremely well practiced in the training exercises, and his muscles actually showed now, though he still looked kind of thin.

For his last test, he had Atem go through an obstacle course with several swinging pendulums, a humongous bear trap, a pillar with a fist smashing down on it, and two sharks in front of a hoop of fire as the now very beaten doll hang from it.

_I'm down to one last hope,_

_And my lad, I know,_

_Before that stupid Underworld_

_Gets my goat,_

_My dreams are on you, kid!_

_Go make 'em come true!_

_Climb that uphill slope!_

_Keep pushing that envelope!_

_You my one last hope,_

_And Kid it's up… To… You . . .!_

Atem swung past the pendulums and the bear trap, smashed the fist casually, tossed aside the two sharks, and jumped through the hoop with the doll in perfect condition. When several enemies appeared, Atem pulled out his sword, bent it in the middle, and tossed it, so that it severed all the enemies' heads and came back to his hand, which he flicked to bend it back straight.

Mahad cheered excitedly as Joey clapped. By now, Atem had mastered his strength, so he could hold back when he had to and unleashed it when he needed to.

"Did you see that?" Atem asked excitedly as he high-fived Mahad. "Next stop, Olympus!"

"Yeah, man!" Mahad called out excitedly.

"Alright pal, just take it easy." Joey said casually.

"I'm ready, Joey." Atem said confidently. "I want to get off this island and battle some monsters. Maybe rescue some damsels."

"And maybe a nice lady Ka for me?" Mahad asked slyly.

"You know, heroic stuff." Atem said with a smile.

"Well…" Joey began.

"Oh come on, Joey." Atem said with a smile.

"Okay, pal." Joey said with a smile. "Okay. You want a road test? Pack your bags, guys! We're going ta Thebes!"

Mahad and Atem cheered and prepared to head out immediately.

* * *

Hooray for Atem!


	6. Not Your Usual Damsel in Distress

Chapter Six: Not Your Usual Damsel in Distress

As Mahad used a traveling circle he could create to transport Atem and Joey, Atem turned to his old friend.

"So what's in Thebes?" Atem asked.

"A lot of problems." Joey said simply. "It's a real tough town, and a good place to start building a rep."

There was a sudden ear piercing scream.

"Sounds like a DID." Joey said. "A damsel in distress."

Atem had Mahad fly down, and they arrived to see a girl of his own age with very dark skin and brown hair struggling away from a blond centaur with a gray horse body and the purple torso, arms, and face of a man.

"Not so fast, sweetheart." The centaur said in a raspy voice.

"I swear Nexus, put me down or I'll-" The girl said as she tried to kick the centaur, but he easily avoided.

"I like 'em fiery!" The centaur said with a steely gleam in his eye.

Atem knew he had to do something and only barely registered Joey say, "Now remember Kid, first analyze the situation. Don't just go in there without thinking."

But Atem was already walking to the centaur.

"He's losing points for this." Joey groaned.

"Stop!" Atem said as he stood there as the centaur tried to force the girl to kiss him.

"Step aside, Two-Legs." The centaur growled as he walked right up to Atem's face.

"Pardon me, sir." Atem said with polite authority. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to unhand that young lady."

"Keep moving, Star-Head." The girl groaned as she continued to wrench herself free.

"Well, you are a damsel in distress aren't you?" Atem asked, with less authority.

"Let's see." The girl said sarcastically. "I'm a damsel. I'm in distress. I can handle this. Now have a nice day."

"Ma'am." Atem said after reassuming his authoritative voice. "I admire your courage, but I'm afraid you may be too close to the situation to-"

The centaur punched Atem into a nearby stream.

"Ah, what are ya doing?" Joey called out. "Get your sword!"

"Sword!" Atem said as his senses came back. "Right. Rule number fifteen: A hero is only as good as his weapon."

Atem ended up simply pulling out a fish. The centaur then punched Atem, so that he sailed head first into a rock.

"That had ta hurt." Joey observed as Mahad began to get ready to fight.

"No pal, he's gotta do it on his own." Joey said as he held Mahad back.

Atem got up.

"Come on man, concentrate!" Joey coached. "Use your head!"

Atem then smiled as Joey's words gave him a very literal idea of how to use his head. Atem rushed towards the centaur and head butted him into the rock behind a waterfall.

"Awright!" Joey called out. "Not bad, man! Not exactly what I had in mind, but not bad!"

The girl then groaned as Atem noticed that she had landed in the water when he'd knocked the centaur away.

"Oh." Atem groaned. "Sorry. That was kind of dumb, huh?"

"Yup." The girl groaned as Atem picked her up and sat her next to Joey and Mahad as the centaur came back.

"If you'll excuse me." Atem said as he rushed at the centaur, jumped on his back, and put him in a headlock and tossed him back into the stream.

()()()()()

"Nice work!" Joey called out. "Excellent!"

"Is Wonder Boy here for real?" The girl asked as she rung the water out of her sopping wet hair.

"What are ya talking about, of course he's real!" Joey insisted as he took a good look at her.

"Whoa." Joey squeaked. "And by da way, sweet cheeks, I'm real too."

The girl groaned and shoved Joey into the stream.

()()()()()

Atem meanwhile rode the centaur like he was the horse at a rodeo, and after causing him to slam into a tree stump, punched him into the sky before he came crashing down, with his own horse shoes each dropping on his head, finishing the job up for Atem.

"How was that Joey?" Atem asked with a smile.

"It was alright." Joey said moodily. "But you may have gotten away with those mistakes in a minor decathlon, but we're dealing with the big leagues here."

"At least I beat him, didn't I?" Atem groaned.

"Yeah, but next time, don't let your guard down because of a pair of big aquamarine eyes!" Joey shouted. "Listen man, ya've gotta be focused and-"

But Atem already walked off, with Mahad just starring incredulously after him.

"Hmph." Mahad groaned.

"I know." Joey said.

"Are you alright Miss…" Atem began.

"Mana." Mana said. "My name's Mana. So, do you have a name besides kid and man?"

"Uh…" Atem began. "I'm… Uh…"

"Are you always this articulate?" Mana asked.

"Atem!" Atem said quickly as he brain started working again. "My name is Atem."

"I think I prefer Wonder Boy." Mana stated simply.

"So how'd you get mixed up with the uh…" Atem began when Mana finished for him.

"Pinhead with hooves?" Mana asked. "Well you know men, they think 'no' means 'yes' and 'get lost' means 'take me, I'm yours.'"

Atem stared blankly at Mana. He probably looked like an idiot, but he couldn't help looking at her beautiful form, her lovely voice, and her strong spirit.

"Don't worry pal, Goat-Boy can explain it to you." Mana said.

"Goat-Boy?" Joey said as it was Mahad's turn to hold Joey back.

"Well thanks for everything, 'Tem." Mana said. "It's been a real slice."

"Wait; can we give you a ride?" Atem asked as he gestured to where Mahad was, but Mahad just flew into a tree.

"I don't think your magician pal likes me very much." Mana pointed out.

"Mahad?" Atem asked with a smile. "No, he's just always messing around." Suddenly an apple landed on his head. "Ow!"

Mahad simply whistled nonchalantly.

"Don't worry, I'm a big girl." Mana said. "I've been dressing myself for about sixteen years and everything."

Mana then walked off.

"Later Wonder Boy." Mana said simply as she left.

"Bye." Atem said dreamily. "She's something, isn't she guys?"

"Oh yeah." Joey groaned. "A real pain in the rear! Earth ta 'Tem! We've got a job ta do!"

"Right." Atem said, remembering Thebes. "Right."

()()()()()

Mana was watching Atem fly off and smiled slightly before she groaned both for how sappy she was acting and what she had to do now. She walked into a deep, dark forest. The trees were all black and leaning in without leaves. Mana suddenly found a rabbit and gopher.

"Aw, isn't that cute?" Mana said with a smirk. "A couple of rodents are looking for a theme park."

"Who are you calling a rodent, lady?" The rabbit called out in a familiar gruff voice. "I'm a bunny!"

"And I'm his gopher!" The gopher said in a high raspy voice before they turned into Rex and Weevil.

"I thought I smelled a rat." Mana groaned as a smoky hand suddenly held up her chin.

"Mana." Malik's voice said.

"Speak of the devil." Mana groaned.

"Mana, Mana, Mana, my dear little Mana." Malik said as he pulled her to him. "What exactly happened here? I thought you were going to convince the Mystic Horseman to join my team, and here I am, Mystic Horseman-less."

"I gave him a chance, but he made me an offer I had to refuse." Mana said. She looked at a small chess board Malik had out and flicked away the Centaur figure.

"Alright." Malik said calmly. "Instead of subtracting two years from your sentence, I'll just add two on. You gave it your best shot.

"Look, it wasn't my fault!" Mana snapped. "It was the Wonder Boy called Atem!"

"Atem." Weevil said nervously. "Why does that name ring a bell?"

"I don't know." Rex said. "Maybe we owe him money."

"What was that name again?" Malik asked moodily.

"Atem." Mana recounted. "He came off with this innocent farm-boy routine, but I saw through that in a Kul Elnan minute."

"Wait a minute." Rex groaned. "Wasn't Atem the name if the kid we were supposed to…"

"OH MY GODS!" The two shouted as Malik stretched out his arms and pulled them to him.

"So you took care of him, eh?" Malik said angrily as his hair turned orange. "Dead as a door nail. Weren't those your _EXACT _words?"

"Maybe this is a different Atem." Rex croaked as Malik held both him and Weevil by their necks.

"Yeah, I mean Atem is a very popular name." Weevil gasped as Malik tightened his grip.

"Remember a few years ago how the boys were all Yugi, and the girls were only Rebecca?" Rex pleaded feebly.

"I'm about to rearrange the cosmos." Malik said before tossing the two down and growing angrily as his hair grew wilder. "And the one brat who can louse it up is waltzing around in the WOODS!"

Mana ducked as a flash of fire passed over, and when she got up, all that surrounded them were smoldering stumps.

"Wait sir." Rex said. "We can still cut in on his waltzing!"

"Yeah, we still made him mortal!" Weevil said. "That's a start, right?"

Malik pondered these words and smiled in a way that made Mana want to hurl.

"Fortunately for you three, we still have time to correct this grievous over sight, and this time, no fowl ups."

Mana really wished she could get out of there, but she was stuck watching Malik's pupiless lavender eyes narrow in a sinister smirk.

* * *

Oh boy. Atem's in trouble.

Tea: Kiddo, you don't know the half of it.


	7. Zero to Hero

Chapter 7: Zero to Hero

Atem, Joey, and Mahad flew to Thebes as Atem starred at it in awe.

"Wow." Atem gaped. "Is that all one town?"

"One town with one million problems." Joey said. "Da city of Thebes. Da big olive itself. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."

The city ran normally enough, a state trooper holding a vase to show when people could walk across the street with buildings being intact.

"Stick with me, pal." Joey said. "This city is a dangerous place."

Suddenly, a chariot rushed right past Joey, just missing his hooves.

"Look where you're going!" The driver called out.

"HEY, I'M WALKING HERE!" Joey shouted back. "See what I mean, 'Tem? I'm telling ya, all these guys are wacko."

"Hey Mac," A cloaked man said from around the corner as he turned around and opened his cloak to reveal several differently sized sun dials. "Wanna buy a sundial?"

"He's not interested." Joey said as he pushed the man away.

"The end is coming!" A man wearing only a trashcan said as he rushed towards them. "Can't you feel it?"

"Yes, yes." Joey said calmly. "Thank you for da info."

Joey then pulled Atem down the steps.

"Just stare at da floor, pal." Joey said. "People here are nuts because they live in a city of turmoil. Trust me; you're gonna be just what da doctor ordered."

()()()()()

At a small fountain, a group of people were talking.

"It was tragic." A red haired woman said. "We lost everything in the fire."

"Everything except old Snowball, here." A singed man said as he held up an equally singed cat.

"Now were the fires before or after the Earthquakes?" A portly man asked.

"They were after the Earthquakes." A skinny, shaking woman said.

"But before the flood." The red haired woman added.

"Don't even get me started on the crime wave." A very old man said.

"Thebes has certainly gone downhill in a hurry." The red haired woman groaned.

"Tell me about it." The old man said. "Seems that every time I turn around, there's a new monster reeking havoc."

"All we need now is a plaque of locusts." The singed man said just as a cricket hoped up and chirped. Everyone screamed as if it was a five-headed dragon.

"That's it!" The old man said. "I'm moving to Sparta!"

"Excuse me." Atem said as he walked up. "Sounds to me like that you folks need is a hero."

"Yeah, and who are you?" The portly man asked.

"I'm Atem, and I happen to be a hero." Atem said confidently. Everyone just laughed.

"Is that so?" The old man asked. "Have you ever saved a town before?"

"Well not exactly but-" Atem began before the portly man interrupted him.

"Have you ever reversed a natural disaster?"

"Well… No." Atem said.

"Just another chariot chaser." The portly man said.

"Don't you pea brains get it?" Joey called out angrily. "This kid's da genuine article!"

"Hey, isn't that the goat man who trained Achilles?" The singed man asked.

"Watch it pal." Joey said through his teeth.

"Yeah, you're right." The portly man said with a smirk. "Hey, nice job on those heals. You missed a spot."

"I got your heal right here!" Joey called out angrily as he lunged at the man, but Atem held him back.

"Joey, Joey, take it easy!" Atem said as Joey began to calm down.

"Young man, we need a professional hero, not an amateur." The red-haired woman said finally.

"No wait!" Atem called out, but they kept going, and Atem sadly sat down by a statue of a man holding the planet. "How am I supposed to prove myself a real hero if no one even gives me a chance?"

Joey wished that he could answer that, but the hero gig was probably one of the more fickle ones. A town with not enough trouble, and the kid would have to wait maybe years to get a shot. Thebes was so bad that everyone was skeptical of a rookie like Atem.

"Don't worry; you'll get your chance." Joey said bravely. "Ya just need some kinda catastrophe."

"Help!" A familiar and annoying voice called out, and they turned to see Mana rushing through the streets of Thebes. "Please, there's been a terrible accident!"

"Mana?" Atem asked.

"Speaking of catastrophes." Joey said. He didn't know why, but something bugged him about that chick.

"Wonder Boy!" Mana called out as she saw Atem. "Atem! Thank goodness."

"What's wrong?" Atem asked.

Outside of town…" Mana panted. "Two little boys… They were playing in the gorge when there was this rock slide. They're trapped."

"Kids… Trapped?" Atem said with a mixture of worry and hope on his face. "Joey, this is great!"

"You're really chocked up about this, aren't you?" Mana said sarcastically.

"Come on!" Atem said as he pulled Mana to Mahad who, with a reluctant sigh, taped his staff to create the traveling circle.

"Oh, no-no-no." Mana said quickly. "I have this terrible fear of heights!"

By the time Mana said it, Mahad was already flying the two to the gorge.

"I'm right behind ya, pal!" Joey called out as he followed the town's people to the gorge, easily ending up behind them. "Oh, I'm way behind ya, pal."

Joey jogged as he clutched at his chest.

"Oh, here comes da fur wedgie!"

()()()()()

They eventually landed as Mana looked like she was about to throw up, with her hair disheveled from the wind, and her eyes only half opened.

"You okay?" Atem asked as Mahad silently sniggered.

"I'm fine." Mana said weakly. "Just get me down before I ruin your pal's shoes."

"Alright." Mahad said casually as he whacked Mana in the backside with his staff, and she landed in Atem's arms.

"Help!" A boy's voice called out. "I can't breathe!"

"Hurry!" Another boy's voice shouted. "We're suffocating!"

"Someone call IXII!" The first boy called out.

Atem slid down a rock and looked down at the two boys' eyes.

"Easy fellas." Atem said calmly. "You'll be alright."

"We can't last much longer!" The first boy called out.

"Get us out!" The second boy said.

By this time, the town's people had walked up.

Atem crouched down and grabbed at the bottom of the rock and lifted, with his legs, and after a few seconds, the boulder was off the ground and held up above Atem's head. The two children then rushed out as the citizens of Thebes gave Atem some polite applause.

"How are you kids doing?" Atem asked calmly.

"We're okay now!" The second boy said.

"Jeepers mister, you're really strong." The first boy said with an awed look.

"Well just try to be a bit more careful next time, okay kids?" Atem asked.

"We sure will!" The second boy said as both of them rushed off and Atem tossed the boulder away.

()()()()()

On top of a hidden cave, Malik sat on a thrown as he ate some pita bread.

"Stirring performance boys." Malik said. "I was really moved."

"'Jeepers mister'?" Weevil asked as he turned back into his normal shape.

"I was going for innocence!" Rex defended as he did the same.

"And hey, two thumbs way, way up for our leading lady." Malik said as Mana just stood there. "What a dish. What a doll."

"Get out of there you big lug, while you still can." Mana whispered. For some reason she actually cared if this guy got hurt by what was about to happen next.

()()()()()

"Joey, I did it!" Atem called out as Joey walked forward, breathing heavily. "They even applauded, sort of."

Suddenly, a low growl was heard.

"I'd hate ta burst your bubble pal, but that aint applause." Joey said as he and Atem looked at the cave.

Out of it came a dingy yellow dragon with horns on his head that made him appear to be wearing a crown. Its livid yellow eyes starred darkly at Atem.

"Joey, what do you call that thing?" Atem asked.

"Two words!" Joey called out in fear. "Am-scray!"

Joey rushed off as Atem simply pulled out his sword. He probably woke it up by tossing away the boulder, so he had to be the one to stop it.

()()()()()

"Let's get ready to rumble!" Malik called out with a sadistic smile. This was going to be fun.

()()()()()

Atem backed away from the dragon as it walked towards him.

"That's it." Joey coached. "Dance around. Remember, watch the teeth and lead with your left."

Atem dodged a lunge by the dragon, and it simply ate the ground it had caught in its jaws, but in the confusion, Atem had lost his sword. Atem then rushed to his sword as the dragon lunged again. This time, Atem held its mouth away from him, keeping it open. Atem then tossed the dragon to the unpopulated side of the gorge and made for his sword again. Just as Atem grabbed it, the dragon shot its tongue out and pulled Atem into its mouth.

()()()()()

The dragon burped loudly, and Mana held her neck. This next part was going to hurt.

()()()()()

The dragon then roared and was about to attack the crowd when it stopped and groaned. Suddenly, a blade appeared at the base of its neck and swung around, so that the dragon's head flew off and landed on the side, its decapitated body falling to the sidelines as well. This time, the applause were much more lively.

"Well Joey…" Atem said weakly. "That… That wasn't so hard."

Atem then passed out.

"Whoa!" Joey called out as he rushed to Atem. "Atem, quick! How many horns do ya see?"

"Six?" Atem guessed.

"Eh." Joey remarked. "Close enough. Come on man, let's clean ya up. You stink."

()()()()()

At their hiding spot, Weevil and Rex were shaking like a pair of rattles while Malik simply smiled.

"Guys, guys, relax." Malik said as he leaned back. "It's only halftime."

()()()()()

As it began to rain, an odd noise came from the beheaded dragon's body.

"That doesn't sound good." Joey said as Atem put his hand on his sword hilt.

Just then, the body stood up and three new dragon heads emerged.

"Definitely not good!" Joey called out as he went back to where he was during the earlier fight.

This time, Mahad joined in.

"Fair's fair." Mahad said as Atem jumped on.

"Thanks pal." Atem said.

As Mahad flew around, Atem severed another dragon head and three more shout out. He tried again, but again more heads shot out. He tried again and again, but for every head chopped off by Atem's sword, three more took its place.

"WILL YOU FORGET THE HEAD SLICING THING!" Joey called out.

Atem wished he had thought of that sooner since he now faced innumerable dragon heads all starring hungrily at him.

"Come on buddy!" Atem said. "We'll have to try and outmaneuver them!"

Unfortunately, a dragon knocked Mahad away, and Atem fell into the den of heads.

"Oh man, I had a dream like this once, and it did not go well!" Atem called out as he slid down one of the dragon's necks when he saw a head, but he grabbed his tongue and swung away as he made for the wall of the gorge, but the moment he made it, the dragon pinned him there with its claws.

()()()()()

"My favorite part of the game." Malik said with a sneer. "Sudden death."

()()()()()

Atem looked at the wall of the gorge and thought of the rock slide Mana told him about. That was it!

As the heads lunged at Atem, he bashed his fists against the wall, causing another rock slide that buried the creature alive, with Atem still caught in its claw.

()()()()()

As the rain stopped, Mahad, the townspeople, and Joey starred on.

"Oh." Joey said sadly. "There goes another one. Just like Achilles."

()()()()()

Mana looked on sadly too and starred angrily at Malik as he sat back and smirked.

"Game, set, match." Malik set as he put a cigar in his mouth and used his finger to light it.

()()()()()

Suddenly, the claw that had held Atem, which was still closed, began to move. Everyone gasped when suddenly, they saw that Atem pushed it open and was standing there, torn, tattered, and breathless, but alive.

Everyone cheered like there wouldn't be a tomorrow as they rushed to Atem and lifted him up on their shoulders.

"Joey, you have to admit, that was pretty heroic." Atem said with a smile as he regained his breath.

"Ya did it, pal!" Joey called out. "Ya did it! Ya won by a landslide! … Literally!"

()()()()()

Malik growled angrily as he clutched at Rex and Weevil's heads, which started to burn.

"Huh." Mana said with a smile. "Well, well."

Mana then clapped.

* * *

Me: So what happened next?

Ishizu: Well from that day forward, our boy, Atem could do no wrong. He was so hot that steam looked cool.

* * *

_Bless my soul!_

'_Tem was on a role!_

_Crushing all the week_

_In every Greek Opinion Poll!_

_What a pro!_

'_Tem could stop a show!_

_Point him at a monster,_

_And you're talking SRO!_

_He was a no one!_

_A zero! Zero!_

_Now he's a hot shot!_

_He's a hero!_

_He was a kid with his act down packed!_

_Zero to hero!_

_No time flat!_

_Zero to hero!_

_Just like that!_

_When he smiled,_

_The girls went wild_

_With ooh… Finesse._

_And they slapped his face on every vase! (Serenity: On every _vahse!)

_From frivolities and royalties!_

_Our 'Tem had cash to burn!_

_Now you know Grecian favors!_

_He could tell you what a Grecian earned!_

_Say amen! (Amen!)_

_Sleek and undefeated,_

_And an awesome ten for ten!_

_Folks lined up, just to watch him flex!_

_And this perfect packer's packs a pair of perfect pecks!_

_Atem he comes! He sees and conquers!_

_Show him the crowd goes nearly bonkers!_

_He has some maxi,_

_Brim with spunk!_

_Zero to hero!_

_A major hunk!_

_Zero to hero!_

_And who'd have thunk?_

_Who put the glad in gladiator? (Our Atem!)_

_Who attends the great theater? (Our Atem!)_

_Is he bold? (No one braver!)_

_Is he sweet? (Our favorite flavor!)_

_Our Atem! _(Ishizu: My man!)

_Our Atem! _(

_Our Atem!_

_Bless my soul!_

'_Tem was on a role!_

_Undefeated!_

_Mighty fine!_

_And the nicest guy!_

_Not conceited!_

_He was a nothing! (A zero, zero!)_

_Now he's a hot shot! (He's a hero!)_

_He hits the heights at break neck speeds!_

_From zero to hero!_

_Atem's a hero!_

_Now he's a hero…_

_Yes indeed!

* * *

_

Me: Then what?

Ishizu: You'll see. Right now, you've got homework.

Me: Aw.


	8. Not Quite There

Chapter Eight: Not Quite There

Malik was furious! Every monster from the wild boar to a man eating lion was outclassed by Atem, and for every victory of Atem's, he became more and more famous! He even had a drink named after him and a shoe line! What was next, a comic book?

"PULL!" Malik shouted, and Rex and Weevil tossed up a vase that Malik blasted into smithereens.

"Nice shooting, boss." Mana said with a casual wave of her hand.

"I can't believe this guy." Malik groaned. "I've thrown everything I've got at him and nothing-"

Malik stopped at an odd squeaking sound and looked down to see Rex wearing a pair of Air Tems, the shoes Atem endorsed.

"What… Are… Those?" Malik asked menacingly.

"Uh…" Rex said nervously. "I don't know. I thought they looked kinda dashing."

"I've got twenty-four hours to get rid of this bozo," Malik began as his hair turned into a fiery orange. "Or the entire scheme that I've been planning for _eighteen years_ goes up in smoke, and _you_ are wearing HIS MERCHANDISE?"

There was a sudden slurping sound, and Malik turned to see Weevil drinking one of the drinks named after Atem.

"Uh… Thirsty?" Weevil said timidly as Malik screamed and there was an explosion of fire.

As it was directed at Rex and Weevil, Mana was still okay.

"Looks like your games over." Mana said as she walked to the ledge to watch Atem signing autographs for kids at a local market. "Wonder Boy's hitting every curve you throw at him."

Malik then noticed Mana's petite form and got a sinister idea.

"Oh yeah…" Malik said as he walked up. "But maybe I haven't been throwing the right curves at him, Mana my dear."

"Don't even go there." Mana scoffed.

"See, he's got to have a weakness." Malik continued. "Because everybody's got a weakness. For Pandora, it was the box thing, and for the Trojans, well they bet on the wrong horse. We just need to figure out 'Wonder Boy's' weakness."

"I've done my part." Mana groaned. "Get your goons to handle it."

"Those morons couldn't handle Atem as a baby." Malik countered. "I need someone who can handle him as a man."

"Sorry, but I've sworn off man-handling." Mana continued to protest.

"Well that's good." Malik accepted as he caused to smoke figures of Mana and an indistinguishable male shape to appear. "Because that's what got you into this mess in the first place, wasn't it? You sold your soul to me to save your boyfriend's life, and how did that creep repay you? He ran off with some babe. He hurt you really bad, didn't he, Mana?"

"Look, I've learned my lesson, okay?" Mana shouted as the man released the smoke Mana to chase after some smoke figure of a girl.

"Which is exactly why I've got a feeling you're going to leap at my new offer." Malik said as he drew close to Mana. "You give me the key to bringing down Wonder Brat, and I'll give you the thing you crave most in the entire cosmos."

Malik then leaned close to Mana's ear and whispered, "Your freedom."

Mana mouth gaped, and Malik knew that in twenty-four hours, he would win.

()()()()()

At Aknamkanon's temple, Atem retold the stories of his heroism.

"You should have been there, Father." Atem said with a smile as Mahad stayed back to give the two some privacy. "I mangled the Minotaur, grappled with the gorgon, and remembered what Joey told me: Assess the situation, control my strength, and take the bad guys down. The crowd went wild."

"You're doing great son." Aknamkanon said with a big smile and a laugh. "You're doing your old man proud."

"I'm glad to hear that, Father." Atem said as Mahad leaned close and saw from the side at least, the look of joy on Atem's face. "I've been waiting a long time for this day."

"What day is that, Son?" Aknamkanon asked.

"The day I rejoin the gods." Atem explained, obviously believing that Aknamkanon was being dumb on purpose.

"You've done wonderfully." Aknamkanon said kindly, but the smile was gone. "You really have Atem, but you're not quite there yet. You haven't proven yourself a true hero."

"But Father, I've defeated every enemy I've faced." Atem begged. "I'm the most famous person in all Greece, Rome, and Egypt! I'm even an action figure!"

"I'm afraid being famous isn't the same as being a true hero." Aknamkanon said patiently.

"But what more can I do?" Atem asked.

"That's something you'll have to discover for yourself." Aknamkanon explained.

"But how can I-" Atem began before Aknamkanon began to lean back in his chair.

"Look inside your heart." Aknamkanon said cryptically before he turned into a stone statue again.

"FATHER WAIT!" Atem called out, but it was too late. He screamed and punched the floor of the temple with his fists as Mahad walked up.

"You okay, buddy?" Mahad asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." Atem groaned. "Let's just go home."

()()()()()

Back at the villa Atem lived at with Joey, Atem was posing with the skin of the lion he defeated worn like a hooded cloak as he held a sword out while Joey was going over Atem's schedule.

"At one, you've got a meeting with King Hatofus." Joey stated. "He's got a problem with his stables. Probably shouldn't bring your new sandals."

"Joey?" Atem asked as he turned his head slightly.

"I told you, don't move!" The extremely skinny man painting him called out, and Atem returned to his position.

"At three, you've gotta get a girdle from some Amazons." Joey said with a smirk.

"Joey, what's the point?" Atem shouted as he threw the sword down while the painter seemed to catch Atem's angry mood and shouted out in frustration.

"That's it!" The painter called out. "I quit!"

The painter then walked off as Joey walked towards Atem.

"What do ya mean what's da point?" Joey asked. "Ya wanna get ta Olympus, don't ya?"

"Yeah, but this stuff doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere." Atem groaned as he pulled the lion skin off.

"You can't give up now." Joey said consolingly. "I'm counting on ya."

"I gave this everything I had." Atem said sadly. He was stuck. For one minute he believed he was going to go back to where he belonged, and all he got for it was a statement that he needed to do more.

"Listen to me, 'Tem." Joey said as he walked to Atem and put a hand on his shoulder. "I've seen 'em all, and this is the honest to the gods truth, you've got something I've never seen before."

"Really?" Atem asked.

"I can feel it in these bowed legs of mine." Joey said. "There aint nothing you can't do, pal."

At that moment, a large group of girls of all sizes charged in. They squealed and pounced on Atem, knocking him face down onto the floor.

"Joey, help." Atem squeaked.

"Don't worry pal!" Joey said with a smirk. "Escape plan, Beta."

"Got it." Atem whispered.

()()()()()

Suddenly, Atem disappeared, and all the girls were gasping and looking around.

"Hey girls, he's over at da veranda!" Joey called out as all the girls rushed off, and Joey went after them. This was his day!

()()()()()

Mana closed the door, having seen everything. Mana looked around the living room. It looked like a pharaoh's palace with all the decorations and furnishings. Mana then looked behind a curtain to see Atem's feet sticking out.

"Gee, I wonder what's behind curtain number one." Mana said mischievously as she pulled a rope, and the curtain parted to reveal a gasping Atem.

"Mana." Atem said in surprise. "Hey."

"Don't worry." Mana said. "Those raging hormones in human form rushed off."

"Man, it's great to see you." Atem said with a smile. "I missed you."

"So this is where heroes hang out on their days off." Mana said as she flopped herself onto a sofa.

"I'm not a hero." Atem said with a modest laugh.

"Sure they do." Mana said as she waved her hand. "Everyone thinks you're the greatest thing in Greece since democracy."

"Yeah, it's crazy." Atem said as he pulled out a new clean jacket and put it on. "I can't go anywhere without being mobbed."

"Sounds like you could use a break." Mana said as she stood up. "Think your old nanny goat would go berserk if you took the afternoon off?"

"I don't know." Atem said. "Joey's got the rest of the day pretty much booked."

"Oh, Joey, Schmoey!" Mana said with a smile. "Just follow me! Out the window, around the dumb bells, you lift the back wall, and we're gone."

"You've done this before?" Atem asked.

"A hundred times as a matter of fact." Mana said casually. "I had really over-protective parents."

* * *

The one thing mightier than Malik! Fan-girls!


	9. I Won't Say I'm in Love

Chapter Nine: I Won't Say I'm in Love

After spending the whole afternoon with Atem, he and Mana returned home, laughing.

"Wow, what a day." Atem said with a laugh. "First that restaurant by the bay. Then that play. Oh man, can you believe that Oedipus thing? Man, I thought I had problems."

Mana chuckled weakly as she glanced a look at the bird bath and saw two birds with Rex and Weevil's heads on them.

"Stop fooling around." Weevil whispered angrily.

"Yeah, get the goods, sister!" Rex whispered back before they vanished.

"I didn't know that playing hooky could be so much fun." Atem said with a kind smile.

"Neither did I." Mana said as she smiled back. She hadn't expected to actual like any of the stuff they did. She just wanted to get Atem comfortable enough to figure out what his Achilles heel was.

"Thanks Mana." Atem said with a wide smile.

"Don't thank me just yet." Mana said, more to herself than to Atem. She then gasped and fell into Atem's arms.

"Whoa, careful." Atem said as he held her up.

"Sorry." Mana mumbled. "Weak ankles."

"Oh." Atem said plainly. "Maybe you better sit down for awhile."

Atem then picked Mana up and sat her on a bench.

"So…" Mana said casually. "Do you have any problems with this?"

Mana then put her leg right in front of Atem's face as his eyes widened as far as they'd go.

"Uh…" Atem said nervously.

"With weak ankles, I mean." Mana explained.

"Uh no." Atem said. "Not really."

"No weaknesses whatsoever?" Mana prodded. "No trick knee or ruptured discs?"

During this time, she edged herself closer and closer to Atem.

"Well…" Atem gulped. "No. No I'm as fit as a fiddle."

"Wonder Boy, you are perfect." Mana half groaned. No way would she be freed from Malik's control now.

"Oh, thanks." Atem said as he picked up a stone and tossed it into the pond, accidentally breaking the arm off of a brand new statue.

"Don't worry, it looks better that way." Mana said as she walked up. "It looks nice, really."

Atem and Mana starred at each other and didn't stop until a shooting star passed by.

"You know," Atem said finally. "When I was a kid, I'd have given anything to be like everyone else."

"You wanted to be petty and dishonest?" Mana asked as she thought about her old boyfriend.

"Everyone's not like that." Atem said simply.

"Yes they are." Mana said sadly as she wiped a tear from her eyes. She was just as bad as that jerk that dumped her. She was essentially trying to find a way for Malik to kill a good, heroic person.

"You're not like that." Atem countered.

"How do you know what I'm like?" Mana countered.

"All I know is that you're the most amazing person with weak ankles that I've ever met." Atem said with a simple smile.

Mana laughed awkwardly as she backed away and ended up poking her rear end on the point of a stone arrow held by a statue of cupid.

_What the…?_ Mana thought as Atem took her hand.

"Mana, when I'm with you, I don't feel so alone." Atem said simply.

"Sometimes it's better to be alone." Mana said sadly.

"What do you mean?" Atem asked.

"No one can hurt you." Mana went on.

"Mana, I would never hurt you." Atem said as he held Mana's hands.

"And I don't wanna hurt you, so let's do both of ourselves a favor and stop this… Before… We . . ."

As their heads began to incline a light suddenly shown. They looked up to see Joey, holding onto Mahad. The light was coming from Mahad's staff.

"Alright break it up!" Joey called out. "Break it up! Da party's over! I've been looking allover Thebes for ya!"

"Come down, Mutton-Man." Mana said agitatedly. "It was all my fault."\

"You're already on my list, sister!" Joey said angrily. "Don't make it worse!"

"It can get worse?" Mahad asked sarcastically as Mana couldn't help but laugh a little.

"And as for you, ya bum," Joey said as he grabbed Atem by his jacket. "You're going to da stadium and getting da workout of your life!"

"Okay, okay." Atem said calmly.

"I'm sorry." Mana said sheepishly.

"Eh, he'll get over it." Atem said as he picked a flower off of a tree and gave it to her.

"MOVE!" Joey called out.

()()()()()

Atem got on Mahad's traveling circle, and they flew off.

"How many times do I have ta tell ya ta keep your eye on da ba-AH!"

Joey was so busy shouting, he got hit in the head by a low hanging branch and fell off.

"That's it!" Joey said in a dazed voice. "Next time, I'm driving!"

And he passed out.

()()()()()

Mana starred happily at the beautiful white flower before she grimaced.

"Oh, what's the matter with me?" Mana asked herself. "You'd think a girl would learn."

_If there's a price for rotten judgment,_

_I guess I've already won that._

_No man is worth the aggravation._

_That's ancient history._

_Been there, done that._

Suddenly, the voices of five women, apparently inside her own head began arguing with her.

_Who'd you think you're kidding?_

_He's the Earth and heave to ya._

_Try and keep it hidden._

_Honey, we can see right through ya._

_Girl, you can't conceal it._

_We know how ya feel and who you're thinking of… (Oh no…)_

Mana walked away from where she was sitting. She wasn't falling for the same old trap as before.

_No chance! No way!_

_I won't say it! No, no!_

_You swoon, you sigh._

_Why deny it? Uh-oh?_

_It's too cliché!_

_I won't say I'm in love . . .!_

Mana then walked through several statues of various love scenes throughout history, from Pyramus and Thisbe to Samson and Delilah. They all seemed good at first, but they all also ended in tragedy.

_I thought my heart had learned its lesson._

_It feels so good when you start out._

_My head is screaming, "Get a grip, girl!_

_Unless you're dying to cry your heart out!"_

_You keep on denying,_

_Who you are and how you're feeling._

_Baby, we're not buying._

_Hon, we saw you hit the ceiling._

_Face it like a grown up._

_When ya gonna own up _

_That you've got, got, got it bad?_

Mana then walked through a pond on several stepping stones, trying to get out of that place, so she could just relax and get all these stupid ideas out of her head.

_No chance! No way!_

_I won't say I'm in love!_

Mana accidentally stepped on a turtle and nearly fell in before she caught herself on the hand of a statue of Atem as she smiled and got close to it.

_Give up! Give in!_

_Check the grin, you're in love!_

Mana shook her head and walked off.

_This scene won't play!_

_I won't say I'm in love…!_

_You're doing flips._

_Read our lips, you're in love._

_You're way off base! I won't say it! (She won't say it, no!)_

_Get off my case! I won't say it!_

Mana found herself back at the place where she had left the flower and looked at it. Maybe… Maybe being in love with Atem wasn't such a bad idea.

_Girl don't be proud, it's okay you're in love._

Mana smiled. Whoever those ladies in her head were, they won, and she didn't mind.

_Oh… At least out loud,_

_I won't say I'm in… Love . . ._

As Mana lay there, she smelled melting marble and turned to see a statue of a couple dancing split open at the center as Malik appeared in the middle.

"So, what's the stitch, Mana?" Malik asked as he sat on the ruined statue as if it was a throne. "What is the weak link in Atem's chain?"

"Get yourself another girl!" Mana said angrily. "I'm through!"

She didn't care what Malik said. She wouldn't hurt Atem!

"Sorry, mind running that by me again dear?" Malik said. "I think I have some brimstone lodged in my ear."

"THEN READ MY LIPS!" Mana shouted. "Forget it!"

"Mana, Mana, Mana." Malik said as he suddenly appeared in front of her. "Aren't you forgetting one tiny little detail? I OWN YOU!"

His head glowed read as his hair covered almost his entire upper body and turned orange.

()()()()()

"Oh…" Joey groaned as he got up. "Oh, I've got an extra horn here."

Joey felt the bump and groaned.

"Atem's gonna do laps for a month!" Joey began when he suddenly heard something he didn't like. The voice of a man talking to Mana, he turned around to see a boy of about Atem's own age with yellowish-white fire for hair, talking to Mana.

"If I say I want Wonder Boy's head on a platter, you say?" Malik asked.

"Medium or well done." Mana recited automatically.

"Oh, I know that dame was no good." Joey groaned as he thought of Atem. "Oh, this is gonna break the guy's heart."

Joey quietly snuck away, trying to figure out how to tell Atem that his new girlfriend was one of the bad guys.

()()()()()

"You hear that sound?" Malik asked. "It's the sound of your freedom flying away forever."

"Look, I don't care!" Mana called out. She'd rather have Malik kill him that hurt Atem. "I'm not going to let you hurt Atem!"

"I can't believe you're getting worked up over some guy." Malik said testily.

"This one is different!" Mana retaliated. "He's honest and sweet, and besides oh Lord of the Dead, you can't beat Atem. He told me himself that he has no witnesses. He's gonna kick your can from here to Tuesday!"

"No weaknesses?" Malik said as he walked up to Mana and smiled wickedly. "Oh, I think he does, Mana. I truly think he does."

Malik took Mana's hand, pulled the flower Mana was holding away, and it died within a second.

* * *

Oh no! Well, what happened?

Ishizu: Not today. You have work!

Me: But I wanna hear the rest of it!

Ishizu: Don't give me that lip, Young Man.


	10. The Deal

Chapter 10: The Deal

At the stadium, Joey watched Atem training by running through several obstacles. Joey knew he had to tell Atem, but he had no idea how.

"Hey Joey, what happened to you?" Atem asked as he took a breather and looked over at Joey.

"'Tem, we've gotta talk." Joey said somberly when Atem picked him up and tossed him into the air. "Ah!"

"Joey, I just had the greatest day of my life!" Atem called out happily. "I just can't stop thinking about Mana."

Atem leaped up onto the handrail and sat on it.

"She's something else." Atem mused happily.

"Atem, I'm trying ta talk with ya here!" Joey called out. "Will ya come down?"

"Oh, how come down when I'm feeling so up?" Atem asked as he literally leapt into the sky and didn't come down for several minutes.

()()()()()

Mahad was watching Atem happily. He had to admit, Mana seemed to make Atem happy, and that was what mattered. Suddenly, he heard a whistle and saw a Spiria Ka Monster standing there and winking coyly at him.

"Hello." Mahad squeaked weakly.

"Hello yourself, big boy." The Spiria said with a smile as she walked off, swaying her hips.

Mahad walked forward until they arrived at a shack next door to the stadium when Spiria disappeared, and two small men walked out of the shadows. One had a neon blue pudding bowl haircut, and the other had long brown hair with a purple highlight.

"Got ya!" They both said.

()()()()()

"Okay, Atem, that was very nice." Joey sighed as Atem came back down. "What I'm trying to tell ya is that-"

"And if it wasn't for you, I never would have met Mana." Atem said happily. "I owe you big time, buddy."

Atem then grabbed Joey by the neck and gave him a noogie.

"Will ya let me talk for like thirty seconds?" Joey asked by Atem was sparring with Joey.

"Rule number 38: Keep those arms up, Joey." Atem said with a playful impression of Joey's own voice as Joey sighed. "Joey, I've got two words for ya. Duck."

Joey ducked a blow from Atem, not caring that it was only one word.

"Listen to me!" Joey called out. "Mana's-"

"A dream come true?" Atem asked as he continued to smile.

"Not exactly." Joey said, but Atem went on.

"More beautiful than Mai Valentine?" Atem questioned.

"Hey, now let's not talk crazy kid." Joey countered. "Mana's-"

"The most wonderful-" Atem began before Joey grabbed him by the shirt.

"SHE'S A FRAUD!" Joey shouted out. "She's been playing ya for a sap!"

"Oh come on." Atem said with a shrug. "Stop kidding around."

"I'm not kidding around." Joey went on. "She's-"

"I know you're upset about today, but that's no reason to-"

"Atem, you're missing the point." Joey said.

"The point is I love her." Atem said stubbornly as he poked Joey in the chest.

"Well she don't love you." Joey countered.

"You're crazy!" Atem argued.

"And Mana's nothing but a two-timing-"

"Stop it!" Atem called out.

"No good, lying, scheming-"

"SHUT UP!" Atem called out as he punched Joey into the dumb bells.

Joey got up, with a few bruises, but nothing serious. He looked at Atem before he turned around. He'd had it. Atem wanted to get himself killed by some crazy guy, fine by him. Joey knew he was pathetic for believing in that stupid dream of his again.

"Joey, I'm sorry." Atem tried to apologize, but Joey didn't care.

"Okay, okay that's it." Joey said. "You won't face da truth? Fine."

Joey then began walking off.

"Joey, wait." Atem said. "Where are you going?"

"I'm outta here." Joey muttered. "I'm going home."

Joey then headed off towards the docks.

"Fine!" Joey heard Atem call out. "Go! I don't need you."

"I thought he was going ta be the all time champ not the all time chump." Joey said to himself as he walked off.

()()()()()

Atem heard what Joey said and sighed sadly. Suddenly, Atem also heard a puff of smoke and turned to see a dark skinned man about his own age and height appear. He had bleached blond hair that appeared to be made of fire.

"Geez, what got his, huh?" The man asked with a sneer.

Atem ignored him until the man appeared right in front of him in a puff of black smoke.

"Hello there." The man said darkly. "My name is Malik, Lord of the dead, how are you?"

"Not now, okay?" Atem asked as he turned around, but Malik appeared in front of him again, walking on his hands across the handrail.

"Hey, I only need a few seconds." Malik said with a smirk. "I'm a fast talker. You see, I've got this deal in the works, a real estate venture, you might say. And 'Tem, you little devil, may I call you ''Tem'? You seem to be constantly getting in my way."

"You've got the wrong guy." Atem said as Malik appeared and grabbed him by the shirt.

"Come here, you little-!" Malik said angrily as his hair turned orange and seemed to begin to spread across his body before calming down. "Just hear me out. Anyway, I'd be eternally grateful if you'd say… Took a day off from this hero game. Monsters and disasters can wait a day, can't they?"

"You're out of your mind if you think I'd do that." Atem said. True he wasn't a true hero by his father's standards, but he wouldn't let the people of Greece down.

"Not so fast, binky boy." Malik said with a sneer. "I have a little leverage you may want to know about."

Malik snapped his fingers, and Mana appeared in the stadium.

"Mana." Atem gasped.

"Don't listen to him!" Mana called out as black smoke-like ropes suddenly appeared and tied Mana up as well as gag her.

"LET HER GO!" Atem said as he charged at Malik, but he slid right through him.

"Here's the deal." Malik said, in complete control of the situation. "You give up your powers for twenty-four hours, the next twenty-four hours, and Mana here's as free as a bird and safe from harm. You'll dance, you'll kiss, and you'll marry her and live happily ever after. What do you say?"

Atem looked at Mana. He couldn't risk putting her in danger, and he began to wane in his resolve.

"People are going to get hurt, aren't they?" Atem asked.

"Nah!" Malik said. "Well maybe. You know it's war, but what do you owe these people? Isn't Mana more important to you than the rest of the people here?"

"Stop it!" Atem called out.

"Isn't she?" Malik persisted as he held Mana's chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"You have to swear she'll be safe from any harm!" Atem called out.

"Alright fine, I'll give you that one." Malik said. "Mana will be safe; otherwise you'll get your strength right back and so on and so forth. Okay, done? Why don't we shake on it?"

Malik extended his hand, but Atem was skeptical to take it. Something didn't seem quite right.

"You know Atem we don't exactly have time to discuss this." Malik said with a hint of impatience. "I'm on a schedule until August. I need an answer _now_. Going once, going twice."

Atem looked at Mana and knew he couldn't risk her getting hurt by this maniac.

"Alright!" Atem said quickly.

"Yes!" Malik called out with a sneer as he took Atem's hand. Atem suddenly felt incredibly weak and buckled under Malik's increasingly strengthening grip.

"You may feel just a little queasy." Malik pointed out. "Maybe you should… SIT DOWN!"

Malik then caused a dumbbell to toss itself at Atem, trapping him under it.

"Now you know what it feels like to be just like everyone else." Malik said with a sneer as he looked down at Atem. "Isn't it just peachy? Oh, and you're going to love this next bit."

Malik walked up to Mana.

"Mana, kiddo, a deal's a deal." Malik said as he snapped her fingers and the ropes disappeared. "You're off the hook. Oh by the way, 'Tem, isn't Mana a fabulous little actress"

"Stop it." Mana said in a shamed voice.

"What do you mean?" Atem said as he managed to crawl out from under the bar bells.

"I mean your little girlfriend here was working with me the whole time, duh." Malik said as his grin widened.

"YOUR LYING!" Atem called out, but as he saw the look in Mana's face, he knew it was true.

Suddenly, the two boys he'd saved on his first day at Thebes appeared.

"Help!" One boy called out as he gave a fake cough.

"Jeepers Mister, you're really strong." The other boy said before they turned into two short men, one with a pudding bowl hair cut with neon blue hair, and the other with long brown hair and a purple streak.

"Ta da!" They both called out.

"Couldn't have done it without Little Mana here." Malik said with a smile as he held Mana close.

"NO!" Mana called out. "It's not like that! I didn't mean to- I couldn't. I-I'm so sorry."

Atem looked away and walked off as the two men started chanting, "Our hero's a zero! Our hero's a zero!"

"Well gotta go!" Atem heard Malik say. "There's a whole cosmos out there waiting for me with my name on it!"

()()()()()

At the prison of the Sacred Beasts, Malik smirked.

"So much for the preliminaries." Malik joked. "Now it's time for the main event."

At that moment, the planets finally aligned, and a beam of energy shot down and revealed the caged door of the Sacred Beasts' prison.

"BROTHERS!" Malik called out grandly. "Sacred Beasts! Who put you down there?"

"AKNAMKANON!" The Sacred Beasts all called out.

Malik then stretched down his hands, and the lightning bars of the Sacred Beasts' prison gave way.

"AND NOW THAT I SET YOU FREE, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO DO?" Malik shouted out.

"DESTROY HIM!" The Sacred Beasts said in unison.

"Good answer." Malik said with a smirk as he was about to conquer the entire universe.

"Crush Aknamkanon!" A blue man-like demon with bat like wings said called Raviel.

"Strike him down!" A red serpentine dragon called Hamon said.

"Melt Aknamkanon." A golden dragon named Uria said as flames erupted from his body.

They started walking off before Malik called after them.

"Guys," Malik called out. "Olympus is the other way."

The Sacred Beats then changed course as Malik stopped the weakest beast, the Hitotsu-Me Giant.

"Hold it bright eye." Malik said. "I've got a special job for you my cyclopean friend."

* * *

Malik wasn't going to take any chances.

Oh… Shoot. Then what?

Ishizu: Wait a little while. You've got other things to do.

Me: Aw.


	11. Crazy Things

Chapter 11: Crazy Things

At the gates of Olympus, Ryou was relaxing for a bit when he looked down, and to his horror, he saw the Sacred Beasts approaching the mountain.

"Oh dear, we're in trouble!" Ryou called out as he rushed away. Ryou rushed to Aknamkanon and Linknem, who were relaxing as well, but they turned to him when he showed up.

"My lord and lady, the Sacred Beasts have escaped, and they're practically at our blooming gates!" Ryou called out in distress.

"Sound the alarm!" Aknamkanon said quickly. "Launch an immediate counter attack! I need time to call the Egyptian God Monsters for assistance again! Go Ryou! Go!"

"Gone sir." Ryou said calmly, a nasty habit of his during times like these.

Ryou rushed off calling on a horn he'd just grabbed.

Shada quickly made weapons for the gods as Seto quickly picked up his sword and got on a huge White Dragon.

"Charge!" Seto called out, teamed with Karim and Isis. "On to battle!"

Aknamkanon used his own power to hold the Sacred Beasts off as he sent a bolt of lightning to strike Raviel in the stomach, which pushed him back a few feet, but he still continued.

At the same time, Hamon roared, and a storm brewed up and sucked all the attacking gods into it.

"You old wind bag!" Karim called out as he was captured.

()()()()()

Far away, in Thebes, another battle raged.

"ATEM!" The Hitotsu-Me Giant called out. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

"What can we do?" An extremely skinny woman asked.

"Where's Atem?" An over-weight man asked in response.

"Yeah!" An extremely old man said as he pointed to a statue of Atem. "Atem will save us."

"ATEM!" The Hitotsu-Me Giant cried again. "COME OUT AND FIGHT ME!"

Atem sighed. He may not have his strength, but the people counted on him. He couldn't let them down.

"What are you doing?" Mana called out as Atem walked towards the Cyclops. "Without your strength, you'll be killed!"

"There are worse things." Atem said. He'd loved Mana, and she'd been using him from the start. Besides, what was the point of living anymore when both of his goals had died in one day?

"Wait, stop!" Mana called out as Atem walked up to the Hitotsu-Me Giant.

"So you are the mighty Atem?" The Cyclops asked with a laugh. He flicked Atem, and he flew into a wall.

"AH!" Atem called out. He was sure he felt something in his body break.

()()()()()

"No!" Mana called out as she saw the attack. "What can I do?"

"Is anybody out there?" A familiar voice asked.

Mana rushed to the stables to find Mahad tied there in chains to a slab.

"YOU!" Mahad called out.

"Oh, easy dude." Mana said soothingly. "Just take it easy. Listen, Atem is in trouble."

"What?" Mahad asked.

"Atem's in trouble." Mana repeated. "We've gotta find Joey! He's the only one who can talk some sense into him."

"Right, hop on!" Mahad said.

"Can I have an air sick bag this time?" Mana asked.

"No time." Mahad countered. "On!"

"OH MAMA…!" Mana screamed as Mahad flew off.

()()()()()

Back on Olympus, the battle wasn't going well at all.

"Get back, you!" Aknamkanon said as he attacked again, but they were coming too face for Aknamkanon to have enough time to call the God Monsters. The gate suddenly broke to pieces as Raviel made a large hole for his fellow Beasts.

"Aknamkanon…" Raviel said darkly.

()()()()()

At a dock to a boat that'd head for Joey's island, Joey was about to get on as a great storm brew, and the boat threatened to leave without him.

"Joey!" Mana called out as she arrived on Mahad. "Joey, Atem needs your help!"

"What's he need me for when he's got friends like you?" Joey said angrily.

"He won't listen to me." Mana explained.

"Good!" Joey shouted at her. "The guy's finally learned something!"

Mahad then held him up by his jacket, which was easy as Mahad was a good foot taller than Joey.

"Look!" Mana snapped. "I know what I did was wrong, but this isn't about me, it's about him! If you don't help Atem now Joey, he'll die!"

Joey's eyes widened when he heard that. He may have thought that Atem was a grade-a chump, but he couldn't risk Atem dying. He was his friend. Joey knew what he had to do.

()()()()()

"I need more time!" Aknamkanon called out. "Get Shada to release all the equipment he has!"

"Shada's been captured sir." Ryou said quickly. "Everyone's been captured. I'm being captured right now."

It was true. At that moment, Ryou was captured by two small men. One had a light blue pudding bowl haircut, and the other had long brown hair with a purple highlight.

Suddenly, Hamon and Uria appeared and blew fire and wind at Aknamkanon as he suddenly began to get encased in stone.

"Aknam, I'm home!" Malik called out tentatively as he walked out from almost nowhere and smirked.

"Malik!" Aknamkanon said angrily as his shoulders were encased. "You're behind this!"

"You are correct sir!" Malik said again as he leaned against a wall.

()()()()()

"Ha-ha-ha!" The Hitotsu-Me Giant called out as Atem was knocked down again. Atem felt like he could barely move at this point. It was over.

"ATEM!" Joey called out as he arrived on Mahad with Mana.

"Joey?" Atem asked with a weak smile.

"Come on, pal, fight back." Joey encouraged. "You can take this bum. He's a pushover. Just look at him."

"You were right all along, Joey." Atem said weakly as he looked angrily at Mana. "Dreams are for rookies."

"No way, man." Joey countered. "Giving up is for rookies. I came back because I aint quitting on ya. I'm willing ta go da distance. How 'bout you?"

Atem looked at Joey and realized from Mana being there that she went to get him. Maybe she really did love him. That and Joey's words were enough to get Atem to stand up one more time.

The Cyclops laughed as he grabbed Atem and picked him up.

"ME BITE OFF HEAD!" The Cyclops said triumphantly as Atem grabbed a burning piece of wood that was on a roof top he just passed and flung it into the Cyclops' eye, causing it to scream and drop Atem.

"YEAH BABY!" Joey called out from the side lines.

Thinking quickly, Atem grabbed some rope and rushed around and between the Cyclops' legs tying them up as with a great tumble, the Hitotsu-Me Giant lost his balance and fell over a cliffside to his death with a loud boom!

As Atem looked, there was a crack of something.

"ATEM LOOK OUT!" Mana shrieked as she pushed Atem out of the way of a falling pillar that landed right on her.

"MANA, NO!" Atem screamed. Even though he knew it was hopeless, he gripped the pillar and tried to pick it up when suddenly, bit by bit, the boulder seemed less heavy and suddenly, miraculously, he picked it up.

"What's going on?" Atem asked.

"Malik's deal is broken." Mana gasped. "He promised I wouldn't get hurt."

"Mana…" Atem said as he knelt down in front of her. "Wh- Why did you-?"

"People always do crazy things when they're in love." Mana said weakly as she smiled.

"Mana… Mana I… I didn't mean to-" Atem began before Mana cut him off.

"Are you always this articulate?" Mana said with a smile as Atem remembered when he'd saved her from the centaur. "Look, you don't have much time. You can still stop Malik."

"I'll watch over her, 'Tem." Joey assured Atem.

"You're going to be alright." Atem said calmly to Mana. "I promise."

Atem then jumped onto Mahad's traveling circle as they flew off to Olympus. Malik's little game had just gone into overtime.

"Let's go, Mahad!"

* * *

Me: Wait, why are we stopping here?

Ishizu: Because it's getting late.

Me: Aw…

Ishizu: Don't aw me, young man.

Tea: Ha-ha. Whipped.


	12. The Prophcy Comes True

Chapter Twelve: The Prophecy Comes True

At Mount Olympus, Malik watched as Rex and Weevil enjoyed bossing around the captured gods.

"Hup, two, three, four." Rex said like an army general. "I can't hear you!"

"Ouch." Ryou groaned.

Meanwhile, Malik watched as Aknamkanon's new stone prison began to encase him completely.

"I swear to you, Malik, when I get out of this-" Aknamkanon began before the rock covered his head.

"I'm the one giving the orders now, Binky-Boy." Malik said darkly as he sat on his new throne. "I think I'm going to like it here."

"Don't get too comfortable, Malik." An all too familiar voice called out, and Malik gasped as Atem appeared on that stupid Dark Magician of his.

"Atem!" Seto called out in triumph.

"I think this will even the odds!" Atem called out as he pulled out his sword and cut all of the gods' bonds to pieces, freeing them instantly.

"Alright Atem!" Ryou said as he drop kicked Rex away and backhand punched Weevil in the nose. "Thank you, man."

"GET THEM!" Malik called out to the Sacred Beasts. Uria fired a wave of fire at Atem, but he quickly dodged, and it hit Malik, covering him in fire that receded into his hair. "Not me you idiot! Get them!"

Hamon then caused a ice storm to attack Atem, but he easily slashed away the icicles with his sword.

"Get the eighteen-year-old on the Dark Magician you idiot!" Malik said as Atem dodges an avalanche of snow that covered Malik all over. "The yutz with the Dark Magician."

Atem jumped onto the stone prison Aknamkanon had just been trapped in and pried it open with his bare hands.

"NOOOO!" Malik screamed. That little brat was ruining everything!

"Thank you, my boy." Aknamkanon said as Mahad turned to Rex and Weevil.

"Hey stay away!" Rex called out. "Our intentions were pure! That Spiria we made up really was attracted to you!"

"Yeah, right." Mahad said with a smirk as he blasted Rex and Weevil off of the mountain.

"I've got to get new minions." Malik groaned. Obviously, Mana was stupid enough to get herself hurt, and that allowed Atem to regain his strength, defeat the Hitotsu-Me Giant and come here.

Just then, the God Monsters rose out of the mountain.

"Now watch your old man and his old buddies work!" Aknamkanon said to Atem with a smirk.

"Oh no." Malik squeaked.

"Uh-oh." Raviel groaned as a blue ogre-like monster, Obelisk the Tormentor struck Raviel right in the torso.

At that time, the Sacred Beasts retreated.

"Guys, get your titanic rears in gear and kick some Olympian butt!" Malik snapped as Dark Magician blew on Malik's head, and his hair disappeared. "Alright, who put my hair out?" Malik asked angrily.

Atem then grabbed Hamon before he could get away and used him to lasso Raviel and Uria. Then Atem began spinning the three Sacred Beasts around and around before letting them go. They flew into the air and exploded.

"Good job, son." Aknamkanon said with a laugh.

"Ya-hoo!" Atem called out.

"Take your bows, Wonder Boy!" Malik said as he rushed off on his chariot. He could sense a life force on Earth, Thebes to be precise, draining away. "But at least I've got a real swell consolation prize! You see, there's an old friend of yours who's _dying_ to see me!"

"Mana." Atem gasped.

()()()()()

Back at the sight of the Cyclops' death, Joey held onto Mana's hand. She was gasping for breath, and now Joey took back every bad thing he'd ever said about Mana. When it came down to it, she really did love Atem.

()()()()()

Meanwhile, the Fates were preparing to end Mana's life. They held up her thread of life and with a pair of scissors cut it cleanly in two.

()()()()()

Mana suddenly gasped, and her hand became limp.

"Oh no." Joey sighed. This was going to break Atem's heart.

()()()()()

Atem arrived at Mana's side and held her, her eyes were closed, and she wasn't breathing.

"No, Mana." Atem said. "No."

"I'm sorry pal." Joey said in a choked up voice. "There are some things ya just can't change."

"Yes I can." Atem said as he thought of only one way to save Mana now. He was taking the fight to the monster that started all this trouble.

* * *

Uh-oh, Malik is in trouble.

Tea: You know it, pal.


	13. The Under World

Chapter Thirteen: The Under World

In Malik's lair, he called out in anger as a huge explosion occurred.

"WE WERE SO CLOSE!" Malik shouted again as Weevil and Rex cowered on the floor. "So close that we tripped at the finish line, and why? Because our dear little Mana had to go all noble."

Suddenly, the sound of large footsteps went through the air, and the wall of Malik's inner-sanctum was broken down by Atem, riding Cerberus.

"MALIK!" Atem cried out angrily. "Where's Mana?"

"Oh my." Malik said with a sneer. "If it isn't Wonder Boy. You're too much."

"Let her go." Atem said as he hopped off of Cerberus' head and grabbed Malik by his shirt.

"Get a grip." Malik said as he pulled Atem's hands off of him. "Come here, and I'll show you around."

()()()()()

Malik led Atem to where all the new souls went as Mana's soul, pale gray and transparent was twirling around a sort of green whirlpool.

"Well, well, it's a small Under World after all." Malik said with a smirk.

"Mana!" Atem said as he saw Mana.

"Uh-uh-uh." Malik said as Atem put his hand in the water, and suddenly, it appeared to have aged fifty years. Once he pulled it out, his hand completely returned to normal. "Mustn't touch. You see Mana's running with a new crowd these days, and not a very lively one at that."

Atem thought for a moment and got an idea.

"You like making deals." Atem said calmly. "Take me in Mana's place."

"Hm…" Malik thought. "The son of my hated rival trapped forever in a river of death."

"Going once." Atem said with a smirk as he held up his index finger.

"Would there be a downside to this?" Malik wondered to himself.

"Going twice." Atem continued.

"Okay, okay!" Malik said quickly. "If you get her out, she goes, and you stay."

That was good enough for Atem. He dove right in as he barely registered Malik saying, "Oh it slipped my mind; you'll be dead before you get to her. That's not a problem, is it?"

Atem didn't care what Malik said. He didn't care if he died. The only thing that mattered now was getting to Mana. As Atem continued, he felt his body aging a decade every second. Just before he thought he was finished, he reached out for Mana's hand.

()()()()()

The Fates prepared Atem's thread as they prepared to cut it. Suddenly as Carly was about to cut the thread, it turned gold and glowed, and the scissor got a chip in it. Carly tried again, but the result was the same.

"What's the matter with these scissors?" Yubel asked.

"The thread won't cut!" Misty said in shock.

The only way one of their scissors couldn't cut the thread would be if…

()()()()()

Atem reached the ledge he'd jumped off of as his body restored to its original state, except glowing brightly so that his skin showed orange. As he climbed up, Mana's soul in his hand, Malik gasped.

"This… This is impossible!" Malik called out. "You can't be alive! You can't be alive! You'd have to be a…"

"A god?" Rex and Weevil said at the same time in awe.

"NOOOO!" Malik called out as his hair went wild and spread across his entire body before receding. "Atem, stop, you can't do this to me!"

Atem simply punched Malik in the face. Knowing it would be useless to argue the point, Malik shrugged it off.

"Okay, I probably deserved that." Malik said with a grimace. "But Atem can we talk? Your dad, he's a fun guy., so maybe you can put in a good word with him and have him blow this thing over?"

Malik grabbed Mana's soul's head and put it close to Atem.

"Mana, talk to him." Malik said. "Maybe convince him to-"

Apparently, Malik had crossed a line as Atem punches Malik away, and he fell into the whirlpool Atem had just gotten out of. As Malik gasped and prepared to get out, the deceased souls began clutching at him.

"Hey get off me!" Malik snapped. "Get your slimy souls off of me!"

()()()()()

After Atem left with Mana's soul, Rex and Weevil looked over the ledge at Malik struggling with the souls.

"He's not going to be happy when he gets out of there." Weevil pointed out.

"You mean, '_If_ he gets out.'" Rex said with a smirk.

"'If.'" Weevil repeated with the same smirk. "'If' is good."

"I'm not feeling so well." Rex and Weevil heard Malik groan as the souls pulled him down the whirlpool. "I'm feeling a little flushed . . ."

* * *

And that's the end of Malik.

Ishizu: Yes, and only one more chapter to go.

Me: Really? Wow, that went by fast.


	14. A Star is Born

Chapter 14: A Star is Born

Atem returned to Joey and Mahad as he laid Mana's soul back into her body. Mana gasped as life returned to her. Mana gasped and looked up at him.

"Wonder Boy…" Mana said with a weak smile. "What…? Why did you…?"

"People always do crazy things when they're in love." Atem said with a smile as he pulled Mana up to her feet.

Atem and Mana were inches away from kissing when a bolt of lightning came down and swept the two up to the gates of Mount Olympus while Mahad simply flew Joey up to it as all the gods welcomed them.

"Three cheers for the mighty Atem!" Seto called out grandly.

"Yeah!" Ryou called out as he tossed flowers in every possible direction. "Flowers for everybody!"

Atem smiled as he looked up to see his parents, Aknamkanon and Linknem. Atem walked up to them and smiled awkwardly.

"Atem, we're so proud of you!" Linknem said happily as she hugged Atem.

"Mother." Atem said as he smiled. He'd waited years for this exact moment. Aknamkanon then clapped him on the shoulders and beamed proudly at him.

"Fine work my boy; you've done it!" Aknamkanon called out. "You're a true hero."

"You were willing to give your life to rescue this young woman." Linknem said with a smiling gesture to Mana.

"For a true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart." Aknamkanon said as he continued to smile, and Atem knew he'd waited for this moment even longer than Atem had. "Now at last, my son, you can come home."

The gates opened, and Atem saw the glory and splendor of Mount Olympus. As Atem smiled, he turned back and saw Mana timidly backing away. She caught sight of him and bravely smiled.

"Congratulations, 'Tem." Mana said in a quivering voice. "You'll make one heck of a god."

Atem looked at Mana leaving and smiled as he realized something and turned to his parents.

"Father, this is the moment that I've always dreamed of, but…" Atem trailed off and walked over to Mana and took her hands. "A life without Mana, even an immortal life, would be empty. I wish to stay on Earth with her. I finally know where I belong."

Aknamkanon looked at each other, smiled, and Aknamkanon nodded. Mana and Atem then kissed as the glow around Atem subsided, and he was mortal again.

"Ah, I love moments like this!" Joey said as he happily cried into Mahad's chest.

"There you go buddy." Mahad said calmly. "Just let it all out."

"I just adore sensitive men." Mai, the goddess of love, said with a smile.

"Duh…" Joey said as Mai kissed him on the mouth.

"And on that note, hit it, ladies!" Ryou called out as five young women appeared and began to sing.

"_Go and shout it from the mountain tops!" _A young woman, who looked a lot like Isis with her dark skin, black hair, and blue eyes, sang out.

_A star is born!_

"_It's a time for pulling out the schnapps!"_ A young girl with blond hair and freckles called out.

_A star is born!_

"_Honey hit it with a hajlelu!" _A girl of Atem and Mana's age with brown hair and blue eyes sang out.

"_That kid came sailing through!" _A red haired and hazel eyed girl, younger than the brown haired one, sang out. _"Sing the song! Come blow your horn!"_

_A star is born!_

Atem, Joey, Mahad, and Mana returned to Thebes as everyone in the city cheered, and they all waved.

_He's a hero who can please the crowd._

_A star is born!_

_Everybody shout out loud!_

_A star is born!_

Atem then rushed to Solomon and Ashita, who had just arrived and hugged them tightly.

_Just remember in your darkest hour,_

_Within your heart's the power!_

_Making you…_

_A hero too…_

Everyone then looked up as in the sky as several new stars appeared in the shape of… Atem!

"That's Joey's boy!" Someone in the crowd called out.

At this, Joey wept like a baby.

"Joey, what's wrong?" Mana asked.

"I've never been so happy in my entire life!" Joey sobbed as he clutched at all three of them.

"Aw, you sentimental old goat." Atem said with a smile as Atem introduced Solomon and Ashita to Mana.

_So don't lose hope when you're forlorn!_

_Just keep your eyes…_

_Upon the skies…_

_Every night a star is…_

_Burning bright a star is…_

_Every night, a star is born!

* * *

_

Holy… shoot!

Tea: Now that's what we're talking about!

Ishizu: Okay, that's enough of that. Time to go back home to the real world.

Me: Aw…


End file.
